Travel predictions - during and after COVID-19
Max Najar is MD of Adelaide-based Axis Travel, an agency which has now been around for 44 years. He has created this list of his expectations for 2021 and beyond, in the post-pandemic world of travel. Got an opinion to share? Let us know in up to 400 words via email to feedback@traveldaily.com.au.
1. Expect a worldwide proviso that a “no jab-no fly”, “no jabno entry” and “no jab-no stay” ruling with verifiable COVID-19 Passports, QR or barcodes will apply, with limited exceptions, adopting a disregard of legal challenges, with the endgame being that providers will take precautions to protect their staff and clients first.
2. Expect longer travel delays with new airport check-in staff plus new monetary fines levied against non-abiding COVID positive travellers, travel agents, airlines & travel operators with mandatory entry and exit rules.
3. Expect database sharing worldwide, with a need to share your personal data and health status within Australia and internationally with (unfortunately) some questionable security levels to keep this data secure.
4. We predict an initial phase of mass advertising and marketing from “known” airlines and suppliers to excite travel sales with “low prices” BUT linked to a new set of complex fees, rules, conditions, and penalties.
5. Expect an influx of some new travel suppliers, new websites and new bait advertising that will be attractive to some travellers but also expect a grim reality-check that some travel products and services will not be delivered at all. Some travellers will be blinded by low costs and attractive offers, not reading conditions, with some suppliers not legally obliged to abide by Government, Fair Trading, ASIC or ACCC rules.
6. We (sadly) predict the financial failure of some airlines to survive plus some new international airline mergers with new routes and stricter conditions applying to airfares.
7. Unfortunately, initially expect lower service and facility standards to be delivered, especially via 4- and 5-star airlines, hotels, resorts and tour companies as they do their best to refresh and update their products whilst also focusing on the retraining of past staff and employing new staff to deliver what they promise.
8. Be patient, initially, as worldwide pent-up travel demand will place great pressures on all available high quality travel components, with many being unavailable as worldwide clients want their demands met.
9. Anticipate a large increase in third generational travel, as Axis Travel is already noticing an increase in bookings from grandparents and parents, who wish to subsidise travel for their grandchildren or children, based on their realisation that money is available, but time is limited to enjoy family trips.
10. We predict that clients that were assisted prior to and during COVID-19 by travel agents will return to the same travel agency advisor. Such loyal clients will also refer others to that agency, especially if the affected client was successfully assisted and guided through the complex maze of refunds, amendments and bookings.
11. You can expect that new travel insurance policies will be written in plain English with a clearer expansion on what is and what is not covered, with higher premium costs and new disclaimers that clients will need to agree to, with less claim payouts for virus claims or unforeseen circumstances. Avoid cheap or inferior policies.
12. We expect to attend to a new influx of “disenchanted” of COVID-affected travel clients, who wish to receive a higher level of professional advice and services. These “disenchanted” clients do not wish to endure past bad experiences, such as increased stress levels, unsatisfactory travel refunds or wasting time via lengthy onhold phone calls, dealing with unanswered emails or having online personal or card data compromised.
13. We expect business travel to grow quickly with the return of business clients who wish to re-engage personally with other business contacts, with a reduction in web-based video conferencing. This will be complemented with an increased demand for longhaul airline Premium Economy and Business class travel, with requests to utilise COVID-19 accredited hotels, limo drivers and cleaned rental cars.
14. A reduced physical office size and less street frontage travel agency locations will develop, employing less in-house staff but contracting more home-based experts, adopting new booking conditions and fees based on cloud-based technology. Professional travel agents will be legally required to link into secure health, government and security databases to abide by complex and constantly varied worldwide COVID-19 legal protocols to deliver clients a better travel experience. Clients can attempt to navigate what is required solo or via “interesting” websites, or place their trust and transfer legally liability and accountability to do what is required into the hands of professional travel agency advisors, who also deliver 24/7 communications.
Expect an influx of some new travel suppliers, new websites and new bait advertising